{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"60 - One billion women: Why we\u2019re finally talking about menopause","description":"Welcome back to Blended!   Today, we\u2019re talking about menopause.     Women\u2019s health issues, from menstruation to menopause, have long been overlooked in workplaces, schools, even families. But, increasingly, those issues are coming to the fore. Women are finding their voices and speaking up about the things that impact them every single day. And finally people are paying attention.   Menopause has been hitting the headlines. Many organizations are starting to look more closely at the impact of menopause in the workplace, and what it really looks like to be a more supportive, inclusive employer.    But where do they start? Awareness, policies and procedures, workplace accommodations, health and wellbeing \u2013 there\u2019s a lot to consider.   Our guests will be shining a light on it today. They\u2019ll be exploring what menopause is and what it can look like for women, the stigma and negative connotations attached to menopause, and how organizations can better support women in the workplace.       IN THIS EPISODE:   [01.15] Introductions to our Blended panelists.   \u00b7       Karin \u2013 CEO at NIRAKIO \u00b7       Nadine \u2013 Creative Director and Founder of Mayana \u00b7       Claudia \u2013 Retired Global Supply Chain Executive, DEI Champion and Community Activist   [07.08] The group discuss what menopause is, the common symptoms, and what it\u2019s really like for women as they navigate this transition.   \u201cOne billion women will be in menopause at this time. So it\u2019s a very lucrative opportunity, and it\u2019s also a very predatory environment.\u201d Nadine    \u201cIt\u2019s a natural stage of life that most women experience between the ages of 44 and 55. And, given that women represent 40% of the workforce today \u2013 and growing! \u2013 its impact on the workplace is a really critical topic.\u201d Claudia   \u00b7       Stages of menopause (peri-menopause, post-menopause) \u00b7       Psychological symptoms o   Mood changes o   Anxiety o   Lowered confidence o   Second-guessing o    Feeling a loss of control o   Rage o   Loss of patience \u00b7       Physical symptoms o   Hot flashes o   Night sweats o   Joint pain o   Weight gain o   Sexual impact o   Lack of sleep \u00b7       Cognitive symptoms o   Brian fog o   Inability to concentrate \u00b7       Claudia\u2019s positive experience of training, awareness and education at IBM \u00b7       Understanding the impact on women in the workplace \u00b7       Identifying symptoms \u00b7       Encouraging women to ask for help\/speak up \u00b7       Link to aging \u00b7       Cultural differences in symptoms \u00b7       How menopause impacts women\u2019s tolerance level for things they\u2019ve been socially conditioned to quietly accept   \u00b7       Empathy \u00b7       Vulnerability \u00b7       Public display of private health \u00b7       Uncomfortable \u00b7       Weaponization\/reclaim of language   \u201cIt\u2019s a stage of life that\u2019s typically experienced in the latter stages, so it identifies as aging. I identified as getting older. So did that diminish my value to the organization, did they think I could still lead innovation when, suddenly, I\u2019m an older member of the team?\u201d Karin \u201cBlack women are the last to get diagnosed, they\u2019re the last to get help. And that\u2019s where we\u2019re seeing these big disparities. The menopause space was predominantly white-facing, and there was not a lot of information for racialized people, so the goal for us is to have that conversation. Because when we\u2019re serving everyone, everyone benefits.\u201d Nadine \u201cI started making jokes that I wasn\u2019t having hot flashes \u2013 I was having power surges! But, in making those jokes, it opened the floor to discussion.\u201d Karin \u201cTo have something so personal and health related happen, it amplified that I was female in a room full of males. Not that I tried to dress like men, or act like men \u2013 but I never really tried to call out that I was female.\u201d Karin     [36.06] The panel explore the negative connotations around menopause, the stigma of aging, and how we talk about menopause, to ourselves and to each other.     \u00b7       Tackling stigma \u00b7       Creating awareness \u00b7       Open conversations \u00b7       Education \u00b7       Women leaving the workplace \u00b7       Feeling of diminished value and vibrancy in the workplace \u00b7       Shame \u00b7       Women often internalize struggle\/\u2018suffer in silence\u2019 \u00b7       Interplay with personal life \u00b7       Who\u2019s responsibility is it to change the conversation\/challenge the stereotypes\/tackle the stigma? \u00b7       ERGs\/women\u2019s groups \u00b7       Systemic issue \u00b7       Creating community \u00b7       Safe spaces \u00b7       HR   \u201cI was a diversity and women\u2019s network leader for many years, and it wears you out\u2026 I would like to see more engagement with HR to help fuel some of these things to create awareness and reduce stigma. It can\u2019t all be on the women.\u201d Claudia   [50.34] The group discuss the impact of menopause on women in the workplace, and how organizations can better support women to thrive, not just survive. \u00b7       Clear and inclusive policies, processes and procedures \u00b7       Confidentiality \u00b7       Consideration of non-binary and trans people \u00b7       Sick leave\/menopause-related absence   \u00b7       Manager training \u00b7       Sensitivity \u00b7       Informed conversations \u00b7       Legal obligations\/compliance \u00b7       Identify appropriate accommodations \u00b7       Access to resources \u00b7       Health benefits  \u00b7       Employee assistance programs \u00b7       Menopause champions \u00b7       Peer support groups   [58.04] The panel reflect on the different ways women can take control of their own health and wellbeing during menopause. \u00b7       Advocacy \u00b7       Try something different \u00b7       Therapy \u00b7       Alternative medicine \u00b7       Medical referrals\/recommendations \u00b7       Keeping records \u00b7       Taking control    \u00b7       Assessing the symptoms that are having the biggest impact on quality of life \u00b7       Keeping a symptom diary \u00b7       Proactive approach to health    \u00b7       Understanding triggers and managing responses  \u00b7       Non-judgement   [01.03.58] The group sum up their thoughts from today\u2019s discussion.    RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED: You can connect with Karin, Nadine and Claudia over on LinkedIn.   ","author_name":"Blended","author_url":"https:\/\/blendedpledge.org\/podcast\/","html":"